


You are the only one for me - after effects.

by Xbertyx



Series: Al what are you hiding related works. [8]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Cancer, Drinking to Cope, Liver Damage, M/M, Marriage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-17 15:53:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5876761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xbertyx/pseuds/Xbertyx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set a few years after the end of the Elan series, showed mainly through the eyes of Ronald and Claude. Alan and Eric will crop up in a later chap. </p><p>The original you are the only one for me series still needs 4 or so more chapter updates but I wanted to keep that separate, as those chapters are set in the original Elan series. Also, I liked the ending of Elan - so think of this more as a spin off series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dance4thedead](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dance4thedead/gifts).



 Ronald was now twenty eight, having been married for several years. Not much had changed in the household during that time, apart from the recent passing of their dog, Titan, which had left Alan and Eric completely heartbroken. Angelina and Luna had also married the previous year.

 Rudgar was still working as a doctor at Alan’s local surgery and Eric still worked at the pharmacy with Sascha, who’d become a dispenser and then a dispensing technician.

 Sascha would also sometimes still help Alan with his commission art when he had the time. The play that he had written had been looked over by a theatre company and discussions over turning it into an actual musical would begin in a month’s time.

 Ronald had found a few other men in their twenties and had been playing at local music gigs with them. He still had no job, though that was partly Claude’s fault. The elder man – now in his mid-thirties - had told Ronald not to even both looking for a job. His first reason for saying this was that the household had enough money coming in from his, Eric’s and Rudgar’s professions. The other reason was that he was still worried that Ronald’s health would deteriorate again. It didn’t matter how many times everyone else in the household told Claude that Ronald was now fine, the accountant just wouldn’t budge.

 Not that Ronald was too fussed over this. More time at home meant more time allowed to raid the fridge. Still, Ronald hadn’t been in the best of moods for the past two weeks. Claude was acting unusual. Well, Claude had always been a tad strange but this was different. He was definitely hiding something and Ronald wanted to know what exactly was going on.

 As the account returned home, Ronald was waiting for him in the hallway. “Ronald, what -.”

 “Claude, we need ta’ talk. Now.”


	2. A little grey but mostly black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *edited* Ronald still can't swear properly due to the brain damage he received. 
> 
> Shit - ship  
> Fuckin' - fuzzin'.

 Claude’s appearance hadn’t changed much since he had first met Ronald, bar the few streaks of grey in his hair and the glasses that he had to now wear permanently, not just for reading.

 Ronald’s appearance had changed quite a lot since the wedding, as he was slightly heavier and more muscular than he had been. Compared to when his seizures were at their worst, he looked much healthier, his skin lightly tanned from the summer sun. His hair had also changed again, being fully blonde with black and purple streaks running through it, curtesy of Eric’s hair dressing skills.

 Ronald would often tease Claude about his greying hair, calling him an old fart and the like. When Claude had become more withdrawn two weeks ago, Ronald had wondered if he was just upset about what he had been calling him. Now, Ronald was about to find out, even if he had to drag the truth from his husband.

 Claude eyed him, no emotion showing on his features. “What do we need to talk about?”

 “Y’.” Ronald stated, scanning his face for any clues to what was going through his mind. “Y’ been avoidin’ me recently and I wanna’ know why.”

 “Avoiding you? Do not be ridiculous.”

 “I’m not! Y’ ‘ave been actin’ really weird lately.”

 “I have been doing no such thing.”

 “Y’ really ‘ave!”

 “Ronald -.”

 “Don’t y’ wanna’ be wi’ me anymore or somethin’?”

 “What? Where did that silly idea manifest from?”

 “Can y’ blame me for thinkin’ that? Y’ haven’t been talkin’ ta’ me properly for tha’ past two weeks.”

 “That … has nothing to do with you.”

 “Then what’s tha’ problem? Oh … ship, Baldroy hasn’t been released from prison, has he?”

 Claude’s eyes widened slightly from the sound of that name. “Thankfully not, as far as I am aware.”

 “Then … has Joker?”

 “No, Ronald. You are still safe, do not worry.”

 Ronald’s hands clenched at his sides. “Well I am fuzzin’ worried, so tell me wha’ tha’ matter is!”

 “There is nothing -.”

 “Stop lyin’ ta’ me! I can tell when y’ lyin’!”

 “Ronald -.”

 “Jus’ tell me wha’ tha’ matter is!”

 “I … I do not wish to cause you any worry.” Claude pushed his glasses back up his nose.

 “Babe … jus’ tell me what’s goin’ on. I don’t care wha’ it is, I jus’ need ta’ know.”

 The elder nodded slightly. “V … very well ….”

 “Now would be good.”

 “I … have been experiencing pain and fatigue … for a while now. Maybe the … last six months or so.”

 “And?” Ronald let out a shaky breath. “Y’ been ta’ tha’ doctors yet?”

 “About … a month ago. They referred me on for testing.”

 Ronald let out a gulp, his voice turning shaky. “It’s not … Cancer, is it?”

 “No, no, nothing like that.”

 “Then wha’?!”

 “They found out that I have some liver damage.”

 Ronald’s heart almost stopped in his chest. “W … wha’?!”


	3. Na, na, he hasn't.

 Claude didn’t answer him straight away, so Ronald asked again. “Wha’ did y’ … jus’ say?”

 “I said that my liver is damaged. It is quite stupid really, I do not drink excessively.” Claude stated, pushing on the side of his glasses.

 “No, but y’ used ta’. Y’ used ta’ drink a lot and y’ still drink every night.”

 “I would have thought that my body would have been used to it by now.”

 Ronald huffed at him. “Claude, a liver can’t take a load of booze for a long period of time. Y’ need ta’ stop drinkin’.”

 “Yes, the doctors have stated also that that would be a wise idea.”

 “So y’ gotta’ stop.”

 “I see no reason to.”

 “Y’ wha’?! Y’ fuckin’ idiot, y’ gonna’ end up dead if y’ don’t stop!”

 “Do not be ridiculous.”

 “I’m not! How are y’ gonna’ take care of a kid if y’ can’t take care of y’self?!”

 “A child?”

 Ronald froze on the spot. “Y … yeah.”

 “You wish to adopt?”

 “Y … yeah. I’ve wanted a baby for ages and -.”

 “Then find yourself another partner.”

 “W … wha’?”

 “I have never wanted children and you damn well know that. What were you thinking, just dropping that on me like this?”

 “Well … I was gonna’ tell y’ eventually, a … and how do y’ know tha’ y’ don’t want a kid? Y’ never tried ta’ -.”

 “I just know!” Claude shot him a glare. “This discussion is giving me a migraine.” He turned on his heel, key pushing back into the front door.

 “Claude -.”

 “I need a break away from you and this house.”

 “Fuckin’ wait! Don’t y’ dare jus’ fuckin’ run away! Y’ always do this! Y’ … always run away from … things when they ge’ too hard!”

 Claude didn’t answer, opening the door. It was slammed shut and locked quickly. Ronald let out a grunt and slammed his fist against a picture on the wall, glass shattering and embedding in his skin. “Fuckin’ prick!”

\----

 Eric returned home, finding Ronald in the living room staring at his hand. “Shit, wha’ did ya’ do, punch a wall?”

 “Glass.” Ronald replied bluntly.

 “Why? What’s tha’ matter?” Eric took the empty seat on the sofa at Ronald’s side.

 “Claude’s pissin’ me off.”

 Eric sighed. “What’s happened this time?”

\----

 Once Ronald had explained the situation, Eric inhaled sharply. “Damn … everyone is gettin’ fuckin’ sick.”

 “Y’ wha’?” Ronald asked.

 “Al didn’t wanna’ … be tha’ one ta’ tell everyone this but … remember tha’ cough he’s had for a couple of weeks?”

 “Umm … yeah?”

 Eric scratched the back of his head. “Well … tha’ doctor referred him on for tests ….”

 “Eric, what’s goin’ on?” Ronald sat up from his slouching position. “Did … they find somethin’?”

 Eric looked away. “Y … yeah.”

 “Wha’? What’s tha’ problem? Tell me already!”

 “Al … he’s got lung cancer.”

 “Na … na, he hasn’t.”

 “Ronnie, I’m bein’ serious.”

 Ronald could only sit there and gape in disbelief.


	4. A choice with no regrets.

 Ronald swallowed the lump in his throat. “C … cancer.”

 “Yeah but … they caught it early.” Eric stated. “He’s gonna’ be jus’ fine.”

 “Chemo?”

 “Yeah, he starts it in a few days.”

 “But … wha’ if it doesn’t work!?”

 Eric shot at glare at him. “It will work.”

 “But it could spr-.”

 “Ronnie, enough! He’s gonna’ ge’ better!”

 “But -.”

 “I’m not listenin’ ta’ this! Tha’ doctors all thought tha’ ya’d never walk again but ya’ did. He’s gonna’ make a full recover jus’ like ya’ did.”

 Ronald nodded slowly. “So … so wha’ did tha’ doctors say?”

 “They said he’s got … really good odds.”

 “G … good.”

 “Yeah ….” Eric paused for a moment. “Wi’ Claude, ya’ need ta’ ‘ave a good think ‘bout ya’ future.”

 “Wha’ do y’ mean?”

 “Wha’ do ya’ want more? Kids or him.”

 “Fuck tha’, I want both and -.”

 “Claude’s not gonna’ change his mind. Everyone knows tha’ he’s never wanted a baby.”

 “But for me, he -.”

 “No. He’d never agree ta’ it. And plus, from wha’ ya’ tellin’ me, he can’t even look after himself. He’s always had a drug problem and if he can’t stop drinkin’, that’s another addiction he’s gotta’ overcome. Ya’ can’t bring a kid inta’ tha’ shit.”

 “Yeah … I guess.”

 “So think it over.”

 “I choose Claude.”

 Eric frowned at him. “Ya’ can’t jus’ decide tha’ right away, ya’ -.”

 “I can. I could manage ta’ live wi’out children but I can’t live wi’out Claude. Every time he left me, my health went ta’ shit again.”

 The larger man paused for thought. “But he has … put ya’ through some shit over tha’ years. Is he really worth it?”

 “Y’ wha’?”

 “I mean, I like tha’ guy but he’s run off a couple of times and cheated on ya’.”

 “That’s in … tha’ past.”

 “Who’s ta’ say tha’ he won’t piss off again though?”

 “He won’t.”

 “And if he keeps drinkin’ himself ta’ death?”

 Ronald’s hands clenched, his knuckle sending a shooting pain up one of his arms. “He won’t. I … won’t let him do tha’.”

 “He’ll do wha’ he wants, regardless of wha’ ya’ tell him ta’ do.”

 “But … he’ll stop. He … wouldn’t wanna’ leave me on my own.”

 Eric sighed. “Yeah … I guess. We’ll jus’ ave ta’ wait and see. Want me ta’ bandage ya’ hand up?”

 Ronald nodded. “Please.” _Damn Claude … y’ best not leave me. I … I can’t do shit without y’._


End file.
